3 new ministers sworn in Kerala

In an expansion and reshuffle exercise, three members, including Kerala Congress (J) leader PJ Joseph, who had been cleared of the charge of misbehaviour towards a woman on a flight three years ago, were on Monday inducted into the LDF ministry in the state.

Joseph and Thettayil replace their respective party nominees Mons Joseph and Mathew T Thomas in the cabinet.

Mons Joseph had resigned as PWD minister yesterday to make way for P J Joseph, who is the KC(J) Chairman.

Thettayil comes in place of Mathew T Thomas, who had resigned in the wake of dispute between JDS and CPI(M) over allotment of Kozhikode Lok Sabha seat to JDS in the polls.

The LDF decided to give ministerial berth to splinter faction of JDS, loyal to National President Deve Gowda, after the state-unit led by M P Veerendrakumar snapped ties with the alliance and joined hands with the UDF after the last Lok Sabha polls.

Congress (S) is being accommodated for the first time in the LDF ministry, whose strength has now risen to 20.

Achuthanandan and his cabinet colleagues attended the ceremony at Raj Bhavan.